Kailua
Overview
Complete Streets projects in Kailua aim to create safer, more accessible roads for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, bus riders, and drivers. These initiatives focus on enhancing the overall safety and mobility of the community. Projects continue to evolve, reflecting ongoing efforts to create streets that align with Kailua’s values of safety, community well-being, and environmental stewardship.
These projects implement various recommendations of the O’ahu Pedestrian Plan, the O’ahu Bike Plan, the O’ahu Vision Zero Action Plan, and feedback from the Kailua community.
The Opportunity
The City and County of Honolulu has several Complete Streets projects in Kailua to improve safety, public health, accessibility, and comfort for all. Current projects in the area include:
- Keolu Drive Complete Streets Project
- Complete Streets improvements along Kailua Road, Kalāheo Avenue, and Kuʻulei Road
Current Projects
Lanikai (Kaʻōhao) Transportation Management Plan
The Department of Transportation Services attended the June 4, 2026 Neighborhood Board Meeting to present an update on parking regulations. Please click the following link to view the presentation.
You can keep up to date on the project at the DTS website for the Lanikai Transportation Management Plan.
Kuʻulei Road & Aulike Street Intersection Safety Improvements
The Department of Transportation Services will be installing “quick-build” pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of Kuʻulei Road and Aulike Street as an interim measure for the planned traffic signal at this location, as well as lowering the school zone speed limit to 20 mph for consistency with Ordinance 24-32.
This is a busy crossing location is near many shops and services, multi-family housing, the Kailua Library, and Kailua Elementary School. The uncontrolled crosswalks on Kuʻulei Road are each sixty-five (65) feet long, across four lanes of traffic (with more than 12,000 vehicles per day), and two parking lanes. The location is identified as a high-injury intersection in both the O‘ahu Pedestrian Plan and the O‘ahu Vision Zero Action Plan.
The new layout of each crossing will include a pedestrian refuge island to allow pedestrians to focus on crossing one direction of travel at a time and curb extensions on the sides of the street to increase the visibility of people waiting to cross. These changes will reduce the total crossing distance for pedestrians, and vertical elements will draw more attention to the presence of the crosswalk. Pavement markings, signs, and delineator posts will be used to construct the improvements. Installation is anticipated to begin in November 2026 and should take one to two weeks to complete, weather permitting.
Keolu Drive
The Department of Transportation Services has begun a Complete Streets planning and preliminary design process to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility on Keolu Drive, and safely connect Keolu Drive to Kailua Road via pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements. Complete streets improvements including improved bike lane infrastructure, improved safety at intersections, speed reduction measures, additional and upgraded pedestrian walkways and crosswalks, and roadway reconfiguration. The project will better connect Keolu Drive to Kailua Road, and provide direct access to four schools, two parks, and Kailua’s commercial center. It will also provide regional connections by linking to the Hāmākua Drive and Kailua Road bikeways.
While the project progresses through the design phase, the City is advancing interim traffic safety treatments along Keolu Drive and Wana’ao Road, including speeds humps and raised crosswalks.
For a written summary of the planned traffic safety improvements, check out our Summary Proposed Improvements. Each page covers a different section of the street and describes and illustrates what is planned and why.
Community Workshops
The first community workshop served as a key opportunity to introduce the project to the public and begin a collaborative dialogue with community members. During this initial meeting, the project team provided an overview of the project’s goals, planning process, and several alternative design concepts were presented. Attendees shared their experiences, identified specific safety concerns, and offered feedback on the preliminary concepts.
Building on the input gathered from the first workshop, the second community workshop focused on presenting refined conceptual designs that incorporated community feedback. Attendees had the opportunity to review these concepts in detail and share further insights to help shape the next phase of the project.
Please click the links below to view the recorded presentations, slides, polling results, fact sheet, and display boards for each community workshop.
Kailua Road, Kuulei Road and Kalaheo Avenue
Following requests to improve safety on Kailua streets and years of community meetings and surveys to identify specific improvements, the City and State are excited to announce that the following walkway improvement projects will be moving into the design phase with federal funding: Kailua Road, Kalāheo Avenue, and Kuʻulei Road.
The proposed improvements include pedestrian crossing beacons, pedestrian crossing islands, curb extensions, bike lanes, and traffic calming. Additional community updates will be provided as the design phase progresses. Complete Streets plans were developed based on safety and traffic studies and community feedback.
- Kailua Road (Hamakua Drive to Aumoe Road)
- Kuʻulei Road (Kailua Road to Kalāheo Avenue)
- Kalāheo Avenue (Mōkapu Boulevard to Kailua Road)
Plans
Please click thumbnails below to view or download a PDF of proposed roadway plans and safety concepts.
Future Projects
Other Complete Streets Plans
Please click thumbnails to view or download a PDF of proposed roadway plans and safety concepts.
Community Meeting
Please click links below to view recorded presentations, slides and additional meeting materials.
Interactive Map
Click on the interactive map to view community comments about issues residents encountered, or ideas community members have to make the area safer and more accessible for all.